Mrs. HARDCASTLE.

Well, if he has taken away the lady, he has not taken her fortune, that remains in this family to confole us for her lofs.

HARDCASTLE.

Sure, Dorothy, you would not be fo mercenary?

Mrs. HARDCASTLE.

Aye, that's my affair, not yours. But you know if your fon, when of age, refuses to marry his coufin, her whole fortune is then at her own disposal.

HARDCASTLE.

Aye, but he's not of age, and she has not thought proper to wait for his refufal.

Enter HASTINGS and Mifs NEVILLE.

Mrs. HARDCASTLE.

(Afide) What, returned fo foon! I begin not to like it.

HASTINGS.

(To Hardcastle) For my late attempt to fly off with your niece, let my prefent confufion be my punishment. We are now come back, to appeal from your juftice to your humanity. By her father's confent, I first paid her my addreffes, and our paffions were first founded in duty.

Mifs NEVILLE.

Since his death, I have been obliged to ftoop to diffimulation to avoid oppreffion. In an hour of levity, I was ready even to give up my fortune to fecure my choice. But I'm now recover'd from the delufion, and hope from your tenderness what is denied me from a nearer connexion.

Mrs. HARDCASTLE.

Pfhaw, pfhaw, this is all but the whining end of a modern novel.

HARDCASTLE.

Be it what it will, I'm glad they're come back to reclaim their due. Come hither, Tony boy. Do you refuse this lady's hand whom I now offer you?

TONY.

What fignifies my refufing. You know I can't refuse her till I'm of age, father.

HARDCASTLE.

While I thought concealing your age, boy, was likely to conduce to your improvement, I concurred with your mother's defire to keep it fecret. But fince I find she turns it to a wrong ufe, I muft now declare, you have been of age these three months.

TONY.

Of age! Am I of age, father?

HARD

HARDCASTLE.

Above three months.

TONY.

Then you'll fee the first use I'll make of my liberty. (Taking Mifs Neville's hand) Witnefs all men. by these presents, that I, Anthony Lumpkin, efquire, of BLANK place, refuse you, Conftantia Neville, spinfter, of no place at all, for my true and lawful wife. So Conftance Neville may marry whom the pleases, and Tony Lumpkin is his own man again.

O brave 'fquire!

Sir CHARLES.

HASTINGS.

My worthy friend!

Mrs. HARDCASTLE.

My undutiful offspring!

MARLOW.

Joy, my dear George, I give you joy fincerely. And could I prevail upon my little tyrant here to be less arbitrary, I fhould be the happiest man alive, would return me the favour.

if

you

HASTINGS.

(To Mifs Hardcastle) Come, madam, you are now driven to the very laft fcene of all your contrivances. I know you like him, I'm sure he loves you, and you must and shall have him.

HARD

HARDCASTLE.

(Joining their hands) And I fay fo too. And, Mr. Marlow, if she makes as good a wife as fhe has a daughter, I don't believe you'll ever repent your bargain. So now to fupper. To-morrow we shall gather all the poor of the parish about us, and the mistakes of the night fhall be crowned with a merry morning; fo, boy, take her; and as you have been mistaken in the mistress, my wish is, that you may never be mistaken in the wife.

E PILOGU E.

BY DR GOLDSMITH.

WELL, having floop'd to conquer with fuccefs,

And gain'd a husband without aid from dress,
Still as a bar-maid, I could wish it too,
As I have conquer'd him to conquer you:
And let me fay, for all your refolution,
That pretty bar-maids have done execution.
Our life is all a play, compos'd to please,
"We have our exits and our entrances."

The first act shews the fimple country maid,
Harmless and young, of every thing afraid;
Blushes when hir'd, and with unmeaning action,
"I hopes as how to give you fatisfaction."

Her fecond act displays a livelier scene.-
Th' unblushing bar-maid of a country inn,
Who whisks about the house, at market caters,

Talks loud, coquets the guefts, and fcolds the waiters.
Next the fcene fhifts to town, and there fhe foars,
The chop-houfe toaft of ogling connoifieurs.
On 'fquires and cits fhe there difplays her arts,
And on the gridiron broils her lover's hearts-

And